Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Farmers heave a sigh of relief in East Godavariedit
Paddy farmers in East Godavari district heaved a sigh of relief on Monday, as they escaped the fury of cyclone Vardah. At a time when harvesting was nearing completion in the district, the farmers were alerted about the possible cyclone and were told to postpone harvesting. It is a common practice for paddy farmers to keep the produce idle in the open fields for a few days after the harvest to maintain proper levels of moisture in the grain. The early alerts given by the government and non-government organisations, however, prompted them to swing into action and safeguard their produce.
No paddy straw burning in Pathankot districtedit
While Punjab is at its wit’s end over stubble burning, one of the kandi (semi-hilly) area districts of the state has shown the way to manage the crop residue. Pathankot district, which was carved out of Gurdaspur district some years back, has not put its fields on fire this year after harvesting paddy. According to the state agriculture department, though 1,755 FIRs have been registered against farmers this season for burning the straw after harvesting paddy, not a single FIR was registered in Pathankot district.
Paddy stocks may pile up as millers face cash crisisedit
Paddy purchase by rice millers, which typically begins in the second week of December, is likely to be hit by the cash crunch. The millers are worried on how to get cash to pay not only farmers, but also for transportation and labour. A mill owner needs cash in lakhs only to pay lorry owners and hamalis.
MP farmers beat cash crunch, rabi crop sowing more than last yearedit
Cash crunch following demonetisation has not affected sowing of major crops during rabi season in Madhya Pradesh. On the contrary, cultivation area has increased this season as compared to last year. According to the latest available data, total rabi crop sowing has exceeded 81.58 lakh hectare in the state as compared to 61.59 lakh hectares at this time last year, an increase of 20.68 lakh hectare.
U’khand may record 7% dip in wheat yield, say agri scientistsedit
Uttarakhand may record a 7% dip in wheat yield this year, according to agricultural scientists who largely blame climate change for this. As per the latest report compiled by the state agricultural department, scanty rainfall is primarily responsible for this dip in output. Although final numbers are still being tabulated, sources in the department said that the districts of Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Tehri and Pauri — which have been observing the adverse impact of warm climate on the crop yield for some time — will be the most affected. Uttarakhand has been recording a downfall in overall production of wheat for the past few years. Wheat production in the state fell down from 9.80 MT ...
ICAR seeks doubling of R&D budget in FY18 from present Rs 800 croreedit
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has asked for doubling of farm research budget in the next fiscal from the current Rs 800 crore as it wants to develop high-yielding varieties that can cope with the challenges of climate change and boost farmers’ income.
Investment in Agriculture can reduce Poverty: S.C. Jamiredit
Governor Dr. S.C. Jamir on Monday inaugurated the National Seminar on ‘150 th Year of Na-Anka (Great Odisha Famine-1866) and Food Security in contemporary Odisha’, organized by Pipili Sanskrutia Parisad and National Seminar Committee on Na-Anka.
NABARD to launch digital financial literacy programmes in Odishaedit
With the Centre pushing for digital transactions after demonetisation, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will launch a digital financial literacy and awareness drive in the state. NABARD will conduct 1560 digital financial literacy and awareness programmes (dFLAP) in the state.
Saving Water, Punjab Styleedit
The Punjab government is doing a lot of posturing in the name of defending its river water rights. This is reflected in the termination of Inter-state River Waters Agreements, denotification of land acquired for the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal construction, a state rally in Moga on 8 November named “Pani Bachao Punjab Bachao (Save Water, Save Punjab)” and hoardings of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with vows that he would defend Punjab’s rights.
Global agri-picture: No complacency pleaseedit
Where is the journey towards feeding the world population at a reasonable price? The overall situation on the food front has been – in the recent past especially – remain far from being satisfactory with food prices ruling high all over the globe. Food prices are going up on a continuous basis – demonstrations as well as social unrests have badly affected a number of capital cities. Time is ripe for dealing firmly with the agricultural disarray.
‘Doubling income of peasants top priority’edit
THE State Forest, Planning Minister Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar said, “Increasing the income of peasants two fold is the priority of State Government.” He was addressing the district-level Krishi Vigyan Mela organised at Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidhyalaya (JNKVV) premises. He also distributed claim amount worth Rs 17 crore 91 lakh amongst the 6, 363 peasants under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme.
Technology in Agriculture
Innovative crop nipping machineedit
Sharanabasappa Patil, a farmer from Halsultanpur village in Kalaburagi district, was the cynosure of all eyes at Krishi Mela – 2016 organised at the Agricultural Research Station here between Saturday and Monday. He was demonstrating the hand-held machine that he had developed for nipping shoots of red-gram and other crops.